Coles’ new move to offer cheaper fruit, veg

COLES is now offering its own range of unattractive fruit and vegetables to the public, in another attempt to cut its level of food waste.

The supermarket giant's new I'm Perfect range is being trialled in Victoria and South Australia first and includes:

*Apples (2kg)

*Pears (2kg)

*Oranges (3kg)

*Lemons (1kg)

*Onions (2kg)

*Carrots (2.5kg)

*Sweet Potatoes (2kg)

A Coles spokesman told News Corp the fruit and vegetables in the I'm Perfect range would always be cheaper than the standard range of produce in their stores.

The range would also be cheaper than those items which are on promotion.

He said that apples, which are currently $3.50 a kilo, would cost $5 for a 2kg bag in the I'm Perfect range.

Loose carrots are $2.20 a kilo or a bag of Coles' carrots are currently $2. But in the I'm Perfect range, carrots would cost $3.50 for a 2kg bag.

Coles also told News Corp that if successful, they would look to expand it nationally in the coming months.

Coles also confirmed each bag of produce comes in recyclable plastic that can be dropped off at Coles' REDcycle drop off points.

The new I'm Perfect range of unattractive fruit now available at Coles in SA and Victoria. Picture: Supplied

Coles General Manager of Produce, Brad Gorman, said in a statement the initiative was one way that Coles was working with suppliers to reduce food waste.

It comes as Coles continues to use imperfect fruit and vegetables across its private label products sold in-store, which include items like banana bread and muffins.

"Our customers know that regardless of shape, size or any small cosmetic blemishes, Coles produce is fresh and bursting with flavour," he said.

"So when we were thinking how to package produce that looked a little less than perfect, we thought we'd celebrate the fact that great-tasting fruit and veggies come in all shapes and sizes."

The new I'm Perfect range of unattractive fruit now available at Coles in SA and Victoria. Picture: Supplied

"All of these products help reduce food waste and increase overall crop yields by utilising

vegetable pieces that typically would not be sold at retail level."

Coles also has an ongoing national partnership with food waste charity SecondBite, where it has donated more than 36 million kilograms of unsold edible food, which equates to 72 million meals, between 2011 and 30 November 2018.

Between 2010 and 30 June 2018, Coles supermarkets also donated the equivalent of more than 17 million meals to Foodbank.

Some organic waste from its supermarkets that cannot be directed to food rescue is also sent to anaerobic digestion plants in Western Australia and New South Wales, where it is converted into clean energy and certified compost.

It comes as Woolworths still has its Odd Bunch program in stores nationally, where it sells its own range of strangely-staped fruit and vegetables at discount prices.